As medical treatment can be extremely expensive, it is essential for international students to have health insurance. Before leaving for Antwerp you should report to your insurance company and carefully examine whether or not your health insurance covers all medical costs for the entire period of stay in Belgium. Your insurer will explain the extent of your cover for health care and hospitalisation abroad. Students who do not have sufficient medical coverage are obliged to take out health insurance in Antwerp.

A. Insurance valid for Belgium

Nationals of the EEA (European Economic Area: EU + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or from Switzerland are insured during their stay in Belgium through the medical insurance company in their home country.   

They should bring along a European Health Insurance Card or a provisional replacement certificate, which can be obtained from the home insurance company.The European Health Insurance Card facilitates access to health care during their study stay abroad. No supplementary fee is to be paid. The same principles apply to nationals of Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey and former Yugoslavia, as these countries have an agreement with Belgium concerning health insurance. This European Health Insurance Card or document of agreement is used for your registration at one of the 95 public Health Insurance organisations in Belgium who reimburse a part of your medical costs. It is not accepted by the medical providers directly.

If you go to a doctor or receive other medical treatment during your period of study in Antwerp , you will have to pay all costs up front. You will receive a medical receipt or proof of payment, which you can take to a local health insurance federation (‘ziekenfonds’ or ‘mutualiteit’) for refunds or submit to your health insurance organisation very soon after you return home.

B. Insurance is not valid for Belgium: 2 options

1. Students who have no valid health insurance coverage for Belgium can take out health insurance with a public health insurance federation in Antwerp. The monthly contribution to be paid depends on their registration status:   

•   Registration as a ‘resident’
  Students staying longer than 3 months can register as a resident with a copy of their residence permit (after registration with the municipality/department of foreigners). The membership fee depends on the insurance company and varies from €5,30 to €7,38 per month, with the exception of EUROMUT, which charges a once-only contribution of  €3  per year. More information: www.euromut.be/expats .   

•   Registration as a student 
  You can register as a student for the duration of your study period in Belgium with a certificate of registration from the University of Antwerp. You do not need a residence permit. Besides the general membership fee, an additional €53,40 is charged per quarter.

During the Orientation Days in September, Euromut will give a presentation about the public Health Insurance system on our campus and guides you with the registration. Addresses of other health insurance federations can be obtained from the International Relations Office.

2. Another option is to arrange insurance through a private agency, either in your home country or upon arrival in Belgium. Some insurers provide broader, complementary coverage for hospital or other medical expenses, but also repatriation, unexpected illness or accidents which occur while you are abroad.